Can anyone explain to me why World of Warcraft is so addictive?

<p>I downloaded the 14 day free trial like many months ago and found it completely boring so I quit in an hour. </p>

<p>I played Runescape before - and found that a lot more addictive.</p>

<p>Do people have the option to fish, mine, or develop skills other than fighting in WoW? I found that option part of the reason why Runescape was so addictive years ago.</p>

<p>Or is WoW just quests, PvE, and PvP fighting?</p>

<p>Is it the same for Everquest? I downloaded a free trial for that too - and quit in like 3 hours since I figured out that I was doing absolutely nothing... just boring quests, boring monsters, and running around all over the map (same as WoW)...</p>

<p>I watched my friend play for three minutes once. I made fun of him for the next three hours.</p>

<p>Seriously, go outside. Hang out with friends. Watch a movie. Read a book. Why WoW? WoW makes baby Jesus cry.</p>

<p>I played for a little bit while I was dating my ex boyfriend. </p>

<p>If I remember correctly, you can mine, fish, cook, tailor, leatherwork, etc. The only thing that made it addictive for me was that he was on there, so if I couldn't get ahold of him through AIM or cell phone, I would check on there every once in a while.</p>

<p>Hah, pssh Runescape xP</p>

<p>Yeah, aside from fighting, leveling, PVPing, raiding etc/whatever you can train various skills, obtain honor or reputation, and do lots of quests. I often find the questing more enjoyable than straight grinding and equip gathering. The first 10 levels (arguably 20-30 levels) are probably the least enjoyable of the game, but certainly once you go beyond the first area things get better.</p>

<p>Some people enjoy the social aspect or playing with people you know. I'm personally meh on that whole thing.</p>

<p>I wouldn't say the game is as addictive as it is time consuming because it's such an open format. Basically, whenever I'm in the mood to play, it might take a couple hours. I think also that it might have something to do with how goal oriented it can be and gratification from meeting goals.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nickyee.com/hub/addiction/home.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nickyee.com/hub/addiction/home.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you stick it out for the first few lvls it gets really fun. It's even more fun with friends. But once you get to lvl 70, and you do all the quests, rep grinds and stuff, it gets really boring. At that point you can only do PvP, or raid. I can't even come to start a new character now.. I've tried nearly every character because I was getting bored, none are past 10. </p>

<p>Personally, I've played a lot since last December and I'm thinking about quitting today (subscription ends tomorrow). If you're in college I wouldn't recommend it, I screwed up my second semester playing WoW (socially I mean). </p>

<p>The game is truly endless. Another reason I quit is because I read this.. sort of a slap in the face to me:</p>

<p>"Realize how boring it is doing the same insignificant thing over and over again and how your entire life will be that way in the society you live in. WoW could be shut down at any time and all the time you pathetically put into this boring grind will be destroyed in an instant. </p>

<p>Years will pass and you will be living the same exact meaningless life, nothing will change(except your bills) and you'll soon wonder why you bother going on repeating the same dull process every day in a world with other people who don't seem to realize they're trading freedom for security/order, failing to see the stagnating world they're living in were life has no point. </p>

<p>There is no paradise/reward for putting up with it all, the world is overpopulating anyways, and their is no fear/excitement/adventure in this world, their is no fight for your existence, you're basically cattle."</p>

<p>^^Truth. Don't start playing. lol</p>

<p>
[quote]
The first 10 levels (arguably 20-30 levels) are probably the least enjoyable of the game, but certainly once you go beyond the first area things get better.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's interesting - I wonder why that is. That definitely is a barrier against newbies who might come onto the game (especially newbies who tend to play games impulsively and who don't want to put a significant time investment into the game). Oh well - I'm grateful for that time barrier :D</p>

<p>
[quote]
If you stick it out for the first few lvls it gets really fun. It's even more fun with friends. But once you get to lvl 70, and you do all the quests, rep grinds and stuff, it gets really boring.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>So that means that you can't train skills like mining, cooking, or fishing after lvl 70? Are there any player-produced goods that can be sold? Is there an economy in WoW? (albeit an economy that doesn't follow the law of conservation of mass/energy :p)</p>

<p>This thread reminds me of that youtube clip.</p>

<p>"LEROYYYYY JENNNKINNNNS"</p>

<p>^^haha I remember that</p>

<p>
[quote]
Quote:
If you stick it out for the first few lvls it gets really fun. It's even more fun with friends. But once you get to lvl 70, and you do all the quests, rep grinds and stuff, it gets really boring. </p>

<p>So that means that you can't train skills like mining, cooking, or fishing after lvl 70? Are there any player-produced goods that can be sold? Is there an economy in WoW? (albeit an economy that doesn't follow the law of conservation of mass/energy )

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You can train fishing, cooking, and first aid to 375. You can pick 2 of the following to take to 375, and you can drop any of these and pick a new one or new two at any time: Alchemy, Herbalism, Tailoring, Leatherworking, Blacksmithing, Mining, Skinning, Jewelcrafting, Enchanting, Engineering.</p>

<p>Alchemy - you make potion and stuff to sell
Tailoring - you make cloth items (armor) to sell
Leatherworking - you make leather items (armor) to sell
Blacksmithing - you make plate items (armor) to sell
Jewelcrafting - you make jewels for socketing, and rings/trinkets
Engineering - eh you just make useful things that help you in game</p>

<p>Regarding economy, yes. There is an auction house to sell your items in. Very amazing for a video game, it mirrors the basics of a real economy. You compete with other players for low prices, there's tons of strategy to selling your crap.</p>

<p>There's tons of stuff to do which is why the game is so addicting.</p>

<p>I see. I heard that you pretty much have to do things with other WoW players (as in join guilds and hang out with other WoW players instead of going solo) if you get to lvl 70 and play WoW. Is that true? (this also seems to be a reason why teens seem to prefer runescape to wow)</p>

<p>life. my anti-drug =)</p>

<p>not that i have anything against MMORPG players. i used to be one of them. but "Indian."'s quote is very accurate.</p>

<p>In the same way that ecstasy was the drug of the 90s, MMORPGs are the drug of the 21st century.</p>

<p>If you mean social obligations within the game, there can be some. If you're 70 and you join a raiding guild they will set up times where you have to show up to help the group advance in a dungeon.</p>

<p>For instance I have to be online at 7:00 Sunday - Thursday.. it's pretty ridiculous, I'm quitting now so I won't have to put up with this in college. If you decide to raid, then yes you will have obligations. But if you join a casual guild, I doubt there would be any.</p>

<p>Seriously though, I wouldn't recommend you starting the game. I welcomed it because I was bored out of my ass and thought WoW could give me some fun.. it's way more than I expected. I thought I could quit any time.. but here I am, I've played 7 months nearly everyday. It's really screwed up how people get sucked in. </p>

<p>My advice: Get a life (keep yours if you have one) and play video games like Counter Strike, Halo 2, or some non MMORPG game. You'll be better for it.</p>

<p>actually, the first 30 lvls are the funnest until you reach 70.lvls 40-58 are horrific,but blizzard does nothing about it.At 58 you go to outlands which is ok.</p>

<p>i used to play,then i stopped. :)</p>

<p>I see - is it still possible for lvl 70 players to solo?</p>

<p>Yea, if you like to do boring quests. </p>

<p>Basic format of every quest is like, go kill X amount of monsters, go bring me back X items, go kill X leader, and you will be rewarded with gold/experience/items. </p>

<p>REPETITIVE!!!</p>

<p>well,right now at 70,it's either you raid or you pvp.raiding is very time consuming though,playing 8 hours a day everyday,you go through dungeons with like 24 other party members and kill stuff so you can get epic gear.Then there is pvp, which is were you fight other players around in arenas and stuff, which is pretty cool.you can get new armor and stuff.70 is really when the game opens up.</p>

<p>Ah I see. Thanks for the info. It seems more boring than addictive (the newbie might say that it seems more fun than addictive) - it only becomes addictive once you become immersed (I suppose that outsiders to a game or a drug often can't comprehend such addiction)</p>

<p>Yea.. just so you know, getting from 1-70 will take you atleast 10-20 real life days. That equates to around 240 to 480 hours of play time. Which comes to around 2 months to 4 months, whilst playing 4 hours a day, just to GET to 70. Haha have fun!!</p>

<p>i can almost guarantee you will stop playing around lvl 45.the game will just get too boring and annoying.i wouldn't even start.i wasted my money on that game.</p>